PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party and Awami National Party have said that fiddling with 18th Amendment will not only prove disastrous for the government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf but will also put the federation at stake.

QWP chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan in their separate statements here on Monday said that the federation should give more powers to the federating units instead of amending the 18th Amendment.

Mr Sherpao recalled that the 18th Amendment was passed with the consensus of all the provinces, therefore, it should not be withdrawn or tinkered with.

He said that those wishing to roll back the 18th Amendment would have to bite the dust. “The 18th Amendment was made after years of hard work so it must not be tweaked,” he said.

QWP, ANP say move to put federation at stake

The QWP leader said that it would damage the federation if an attempt was made to change the 18th Amendment. He said that government should remove the sense of deprivation among the residents of smaller provinces instead of snatching their rights.

“We strongly oppose changing the 18th Amendment as it would trigger resentment among the smaller federating units,” he said.

Besides, Mr Sherpao said the Sindh government took timely steps to stop the spread of coronavirus. He rejected the impression that 18th Amendment had affected the decision-making of the provinces.

He said that giving more powers to the provinces would strengthen the federation. “We will resist the move to change the 18th Amendment as it amounts to usurping the rights of the smaller provinces,” said Mr Sherpao.

Similarly, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan said that fiddling with 18th Amendment would not only prove disastrous for the PTI government but would also put the federation at stake.

He said that ANP would not allow any power to roll back 18th Amendment.

“Any attempt to roll back 18th Amendment will not only prove disastrous for Khan and company but the federation will also suffer,” the statement said quoting the ANP leader.

He said that if deduction was made in the share of the provinces in the National Finance Commission award, it would also be considered an attack on the 18th Amendment.

He said that his party would not permit any power to decrease share of the provinces in the NFC award.

The ANP leader said that government was trying to create controversy about the 18th Amendment to divert attention of people from report about wheat and sugar scandal that was scheduled to be made public on April 25.

He said that days of the government were numbered and Prime Minister Imran Khan could not save his “cronies” through such tactics. He said that government did not have majority to change the 18th Amendment.

Asfandyar Khan said that supremacy of parliament and provincial autonomy were the utmost priorities of ANP and it would never compromise on those issues.

He said that politics of strong federation had failed in Pakistan.

He said that tragedy of East Pakistan would never occurred if federation granted due rights to the federating units at that time.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2020